RESEARCH & ARTICLES

Meniscal Allograft Transplantation: A Systematic Review

Purpose: By reviewing literature pertaining to Meniscal Allograft Transplantation (MAT), the authors sought to assess the quality of published studies, the indications for using an allograft in a meniscal surgery, methods for preservation, sizing and fixation as well as the clinical and radiographic outcomes of this procedure.

Summary:

• Over 20 years of studies are available but they are mostly uncontrolled and retrospective case series. There is a lack of high-level studies
• Indications for MAT are joint line pain due to a previous meniscectomy in a young or middle-aged patient that has a stable knee and no diffuse arthrosis
• Most of the authors preferred a fresh-frozen graft (60.6%) or a cryopreserved graft (31.4%) both of which shower similar results
• Thereis still no agreement regarding sizing method or fixation technique but most use the Pollard method when sizing graphs radiographically
• The complication rate when using MAT is 3.6% and 12.2% when it is used in conjunction with another procedure

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Take Away: MAT seems to provide good clinical results at short-term and midterm follow-up. There is improvement in knee function as well as acceptable complication and failure rates.

Rosso, F., S. Bisicchia, DE Bonasia, and A. Amendola. "Meniscal Allograft Transplantation: A Systematic Review." American Journal of Sports Medicine43.4 (2015): 998-1007. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.